Attachment for file cabinets



Aug. 13, 1940. Q K, CQRKEN 2,211,199 ATTACHMENT FOR FILE CABINET :5

Filed March 11, 1958 Z6 INVENTOR 7770 K fan/(EN I ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 13, 1940 UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in attachments for file cabinets.

One object of the invention is to provide improved means which is arranged to be readily mounted upon the casing or drawer of a file cabinet, which means facilitates and aids in handling files, papers and the like, contained within the cabinet.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved shelf arranged to be detachably mounted upon the casing or drawer of a file cabinetand being'constructedso that it may be readily mounted upon and removed from said cabinet, whereby the shelf may be entirely reneeded and quickly and easily mounted when desired.

A particular object of the invention is to provide an-improved removable shelf having means adapted to engage over the handle of a file drawer for suspending the shelf thereon and also having means coacting with and engaging the surface of the drawer for holding the shelf in a horizontal position.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved portable shelf of light construction which is economical to manufacture and is adaptable for use upon a file cabinet without changing the structure of said cabinet.

A construction designed to carry out the inf vention will be hereinafter described, together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of a portion of a file cabinet having a shelf, constructed in acof the drawers thereof,

Figure 2 is an isometric underside view of the shelf showing the structure thereof,

Figure 3 is an isometric view of a portion of a file cabinet having a modified form of the shelf mounted thereon, and

fil'fgure 4 is an isometric view of' the modified sh In the drawing, the numeral ll designates a filing cabinet of the usual construction and having the conventional drawers ll, each drawer being provided with the customary name plate I! and drawer. pull or handle l3. An auxiliary shelf l4 constructed of sheet aluminum, 6! or other suitable material, is arranged to be moved and placed out of the way when not.

cordance with the invention, mounted upon one" detachably or removably mounted upon the front or face of any of the drawers II. The shelf includes a fiat plate ll, having a wide, fiat hook l5 depending vertically from the central portion of the rear or inner edge thereof and the hook 5 is preferably made integral with. said plate. The hook I5 is formed from a tongue which projects from the rear edge of the plate, said tongue being bent downwardly along the line I6 at substantially a right angle ,to the plate. The lower por- 10 tion of the hook is inclined inwardly as shown at H, (Figure 2). The shelf I4 may be detachably mounted upon the front of a drawer H by means of the hook l5 which engages over the handle l3 of said drawer, and the lower inclined portion ll of the hook prevents accidental upward disengagement of the book from the handle.

.The plate I4 has its lateral edges or ends bent downwardly to form vertical flanges I8 which are at substantially a right angle to said plate and the flanges add rigidity to the shelf. The lower edge of each flange I 8 is inclined downwardly and rearwardly, as shown in Figure 2, and terminates in a foot or extension 20 which projects beyond the rear edge of the shelf I4. The feet 20 are arranged to engage or contact the face or front of the drawer II when the shelf is mounted thereon with the hook l5 engaging over the handle l3. To prevent the ends of the feet 20 from marring or scratching the finish of the drawer front, each foot is provided with a rubber cover or cap 2| which contacts the front and acts as a. bumper for said foot. The feet 20 and their caps 2| not only serve to steady the shelf H but also support said shelf in a. horizontal and usable position.

It is noted that the auxiliary shelf l4 may be quickly and easily mounted upon the front of any file cabinet by merely engaging the hook I5 over the handle l3 of the drawer II. 'when the 40 hook has been engaged over a drawer handle, the feet 20, which have a large frictional area, will contact the lower portion of the drawer front, whereby the shelf is ready for immediate use. Obviously, files, letters or other matter may be stacked upon the shelf by the user of the file cabinet, whereby filing is made easier and may be performed with less effort and greater speed.

It is also pointed out that when not in use, the shelf may be removed from the drawer front and stored in a convenient place as readily as it may be mounted upon said drawer. It is manifest that the shelf and all its parts may be pressed, stamped or otherwise formed from a single sheet of metal and that the manufacture thereof is simple and economical, without sacrificing the durability and stability of the same.

In Figures 3 and 4, a modified form of the invention is shown and includes the file cabinet I 0 having the customary drawers II. A plurality of tubular sleeves 22 are mounted vertically upon the forward corners of the casing of the file cabinet in spaced relation to each other and are secured to said corners by welding or other means. The vertical sleeves 22 extend forwardly of the casing so that a number of cabinets may be banked ln close proximity, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3. An auxiliary shelf 23, constructed of any suitable material, is arranged to be removably mounted upon the front of the cabinet and supported'thereupon by one of the sleeves 22.

The shelf includes a plate 24 having a hanger 25 secured to its underside by rivets, welding, or other suitable means. The hanger 25 extends diagonally across the plate 24 and has its free end 26 rolled into tubular form and bent at right angles to said plate, whereby the tubular end 26 depends vertically from one corner of said plate. The shelf 23 may be detachably mounted upon the cabinet casing by engaging the depending tubular end 26 of the hanger 25 in one of the sleeves 22.

It is noted that the shelf may be readily mounted at different heights by engaging the hanger in different sleeves, and that the location of said shelf may be easily changed. It is pointed out that the shelf may pivot or be'swung upon its support, due to the tubular connection between the ranger and sleeve. When not in use, the shelf may be removed from the cabinet front and stored in a convenient place as readily as it may be mounted upon said cabinet.

The description which has been given recitesmore or less detail of a particular embodiment of the invention, which is set forth as new and plurality of drawers including, a fiat plate adapted to extend laterally from the face of one of the cabinet drawers, a depending hook integral with the plate for engaging over the handle of said drawer for suspending the plate therefrom, and rearwardly projecting feet made integral with the ends of the plate and adapted to engage the surface of the drawer when the hook is engaging the handle, whereby the plate is supported and held in a horizontal position, said hook having its lower end portion inclined inwardly of said plate to prevent accidental upward displacement thereof from the handle.

2. The combination with a file cabinet having a. plurality of drawers arranged to receive files with each drawer having a U-shaped pull of a removable shelf including, a flat plate adapted to extend laterally from the face of one of the drawers, a depending hook integral with the plate and arranged to engage within the drawer pull for suspending said plate therefrom, the plate having vertical flanges at its ends for rigidity of the same, and rearwardly projecting feet made integral with the lower ends of the flanges and adapted to engage the face of the drawer when the hook is engaging the pull, whereby the plate is supported and held in a horizontal position, said hook having its lower end portion inclined inwardly of said plate to prevent accidental upward displacement thereof from the drawer pull.

O'I'I'O K. CORKEN. 

